Meet Olya Tizer: The LA Makeup Artist Who Tore Down Posters of Kidnapped Israelis
Olya Tizer is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist who sparked outrage after she was filmed tearing down posters of Israeli civilians kidnapped by Hamas terrorists and held hostage in Gaza. The incident occurred on November 16, 2023, amid a tense situation in the Middle East following a series of terror attacks and war crimes by Hamas that left over 1,200 Israelis dead, hundreds kidnapped and thousands wounded.
What happened on November 16, 2023?
On November 16, 2023, a group of activists put up posters of Israeli civilians kidnapped by Hamas terrorists in various locations in Los Angeles, California. The posters were meant to raise awareness of the plight of the hostages and to call for their immediate release. The posters featured the names, ages and photos of the kidnapped Israelis, along with the hashtag #FreeOurHostages.
L.A. – woman caught last month tearing down posters of kidnapped Israelis has been identified as hair/makeup artist Olya Tizer. pic.twitter.com/coP7dQZXLq
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) December 16, 2023
However, not everyone was sympathetic to the cause. Olya Tizer, a makeup artist who works primarily on editorial, commercial, music video and film sets, was caught on camera ripping down the posters and throwing them away. When the activists who put up the posters confronted her, she responded with profanity and insults. She also flashed her middle finger at them and shouted “Stop justifying the genocide!” She claimed that she was “dehumanizing Zionism” and that the posters were “propaganda”.
The activists recorded the incident on their phones and uploaded the video to social media, where it quickly went viral. Many people expressed their anger and disgust at Tizer’s actions and words, calling her “ignorant”, “hateful” and “anti-Semitic”. Some also pointed out the irony of her being a makeup artist who works in the entertainment industry, which is largely influenced by Jewish people and culture. Others defended her right to free speech and expression, and accused the activists of being biased and provocative.
Who are the kidnapped Israelis?
The posters that Olya Tizer tore down were part of a campaign to draw attention to the fate of the Israeli civilians kidnapped by Hamas terrorists and held hostage in Gaza. Hamas kidnapped the civilians, including women and children, during a series of terror attacks and war crimes that started on October 7, 2023. Hamas executed the terror attacks on Israel’s Independence Day, a national holiday that celebrates the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. Hamas launched thousands of rockets, missiles and drones at Israeli cities and towns, killing hundreds of people and injuring thousands more. Hamas also infiltrated Israel through tunnels and carried out mass shootings, bombings, stabbings, kidnappings, torture, rape and beheadings. Hamas claimed that the attacks were in response to Israel’s “occupation” and “oppression” of the Palestinians, and that they aimed to “liberate” Jerusalem and the entire land of Israel.
Israel retaliated with a military operation called “Swords of Iron”, which targeted Hamas’s infrastructure, weapons, leaders and operatives in Gaza. Israel also tried to rescue the kidnapped civilians and prevent further attacks. However, Hamas used the civilians as human shields and bargaining chips, and refused to disclose their whereabouts or conditions. Hamas also demanded that Israel release thousands of Palestinian prisoners, lift the blockade on Gaza, and withdraw from the West Bank and East Jerusalem in exchange for the hostages. Israel rejected these demands as unrealistic and unacceptable, and insisted that Hamas release the hostages unconditionally and immediately.
As of December 17, 2023, the fate of the kidnapped Israelis remains unknown. According to the Israeli government, there are 240 Israeli civilians being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, including 120 women and 60 children. The youngest hostage is a 3-month-old baby girl, and the oldest is a 75-year-old man. The hostages come from various backgrounds, religions and ethnicities, and include Jews, Arabs, Christians, Druze, Bedouins and Circassians. Some of the hostages are also dual citizens of other countries, such as the United States, Canada, France, Britain and Australia.
The Israeli government and the international community have condemned Hamas’s terror attacks and war crimes, and have called for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages. The United Nations, the European Union, the United States, Canada, France, Britain, Germany, India, Japan, Australia and other countries have expressed their solidarity with Israel and the hostages, and have offered their assistance and support. The Red Cross, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other humanitarian and human rights organizations have also urged Hamas to respect the Geneva Conventions and the international law, and to treat the hostages humanely and allow access to them.
Who is Olya Tizer?
Olya Tizer, who also goes by Olya K. Tizer, is a makeup artist who lives and works in Los Angeles, California. According to her online bio, she is a graduate of the Cinema Makeup School for TV & Film program, and she specializes in key makeup and special effects makeup. She has worked on various projects, such as editorials, commercials, music videos and films.
Some of her clients include Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Nylon, Billboard, Rolling Stone, MTV, VH1, E!, Netflix, Hulu, Disney, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Paramount, Lionsgate and more. She has also collaborated with celebrities, such as Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, Drake, Eminem, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Lil Nas X, Lizzo, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, BTS, Blackpink, and more.
Tizer has not publicly commented on the incident or the controversy that followed. She has also deleted or made private her social media accounts, such as Instagram and LinkedIn. Her professional website is still active, but it does not mention anything about the incident or her views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is unclear whether Tizer has faced any consequences or backlash from her clients, colleagues, employers or the entertainment industry as a result of her actions and words.
